Sports Spotlight: Camden Gay | Observer Preps

A home-schooled student and member of the West Orange High baseball team, catcher Camden Gay has become a wall behind home plate for the Warriors’ defense, while at the plate has offered up a fairly consistent bat. Gay hopes to play college ball, but right now, he is enjoying his time with his second family at West Orange. 

How did you first get into playing baseball?

I first got into baseball when I was 5, and I got into the sport because, I don’t know, I feel like every kid plays every sport — like soccer, baseball and basketball — so I was just playing baseball. I first started playing at Dr. Phillips Little League — I played there for a few years and then I started playing travel ball around 9 with this team called Team Orlando. I continued playing Little League until I was 12 and then played travel ball until high school.

What’s been your favorite aspect of playing baseball at West Orange High these last two seasons?

The best aspect is everybody there — we’re all really tight, and so there’s nobody there that I wouldn’t want to be friends with. It’s really cool, because we are all really young on varsity, but we are always doing better than what most people expected of us. It’s just really cool knowing that, in the next few years, we’re going to be really good.

How’s it been thus far under first-year head coach Graig Smith?

It was a little weird. Two springs ago when he first came back to West Orange, I didn’t really see him that much, because I was just playing JV. But he came in, and he did a good job of not making everyone feel like this is a new thing and we are changing everything up. He tried to stay with the same philosophy as old coaches — but also his own brand. He’s been good.

What would you say has been the biggest obstacle that you’ve had to deal with as a player at West Orange?

The biggest obstacle for me is definitely being homeschooled. I didn’t really know that many people when I was going to my first fall season tryout. I knew a few, but it was really different, and I didn’t know if they would accept me there, but then over the years, people are cool with me.

What is your favorite aspect of playing the position of catcher?

I like playing catcher, because I feel like I can see the whole field and feel like I’m more in charge of what is happening. The best thing about catcher is receiving the ball — that’s one of my favorite things. 

You’re only a sophomore, but is baseball something you’d like to play at the next level?

I would definitely — if I could — play college ball. But right now I want to enjoy it, because it’s high school baseball — I don’t want to take it really seriously and not have fun.